Dr. Asangba Tzüdir
In one of the latest move by Green Panel of the National Green Tribunal, it has rejected the Bharat Coking Coal’s proposal to amend environment clearance for its Jharia coalfields in Jharkhand due to the absence of forest clearance. After examining the proposal, an expert advisory committee (EAC) set up under the Union Environment Ministry disapproved the proposed amendment.
In 2014, this body had imposed a four year ban on rat hole mining in Meghalaya citing that it was hazardous to humans and the ecosystems, and following which the mines were abandoned. Subsequently, the miners filed an appeal to the National Green Tribunal but the bench blasted the state government and lamented the mining system in Meghalaya as ‘rampant, illegal, unscientific and life threatening, and added that it was ‘unregulated, uncontrolled and unchecked.’
The Nagaland government also brought out a legislation bringing coal mining under the ambit of systematic development with the objective of cracking down on rampant illegal mining in some places. It is estimated that the state has moderate deposits of coal, having prognostic reserves of about 316.41 million tones.
The Nagaland Coal Policy (1st Amendment) 2014 and the Nagaland Coal Mining (1st Amendment) Rules, 2014 was tabled by the then Chief Minister T R Zeliang during the assembly session. The department of geology and mining issued sufficient coal prospecting licenses (CPL), including short term small pocket deposit licenses (SPDL), there by bringing many mines under the licensing policy of the state. However, illegal and unplanned extraction of coal is being carried out.
Nagaland is abundantly blessed with a rich biodiversity and more importantly the state’s biodiversity is also a part of the Indo-Burma global biodiversity hotspot. It is estimated that over 81,000 species of fauna and 47,000 species of flora are found in Nagaland, though, it is yet to be fully documented.
A study was done by the Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) on coal mining and the findings clearly shows that current methods of coal mining in the state poses a threat to the flora, fauna and also the people especially those living in the vicinity of the mines. With the amount of deforestation and its associated impacts caused due to mining, it is not simply a threat, but the damage sets a very dangerous precedent.
On forest cover, according to NRSA (National Remote Sensing Agency) in 1980-82, the total forest cover in Nagaland was 49% of the total geographical area of which actual good quality forest was only 29.8 (Choudhury, 1986). It further added that, considering the rapid destruction of forest, the good quality forest may now be just 20%. Further, the government controlled reserved forest accounts only for only 7% of the total area of the state while the remaining areas belong to the people.
Coal mining has destroyed landscapes, forest trees and plants, wildlife habitats, rivers and the fishes and other animals in it, agricultural lands and even the ground water is contaminated. The river water also becomes unsuitable for irrigation of the paddy fields and since mining thoroughly damages the soil, any attempt to re-seed the land destroyed by coal mining will be a difficult proposition.
Coal mining releases huge amount of toxic minerals like arsenic, copper and lead into the soil and water, the effect of which persists for years after the area is abandoned. Furthermore, mining releases coal mine methane, a greenhouse gas which is said to be 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Coal dust inhalation causes black lung disease among miners and those who live nearby. The most common health threats are black lung disease and others like cardiopulmonary disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, lung disease, and kidney disease.
The economic activity associated with coal mining may be seen as a blessing especially for those engaged in the activity but the long term impacts are many affecting all forms of life including plants and animals. Already, the negative impacts are strongly felt coming with a huge baggage of hazards both health and environmental, to the extent of life being threatened not to mention the displacement of people off the land.
Without hardly any scientific knowledge engaged in the process of coal mining it is going to create a whole lot of environmental hazards and various other problems in the long run. Besides the damage caused to flora and fauna, the environment and barren lands unsuitable for agriculture, it will be human livelihood, habitation and settlement which will be badly affected including loss of tribal agricultural ‘identity.’
The above grounds are strong reasons to impose restrictions or even a complete ban on coal mining, and therefore coal mining should not continue at the cost of human life.
(Dr. Asangba Tzudir is a Freelance Research and Editing Consultant. He contributes a weekly guest editorial to The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
